Well fishing tool



Dec. 23, 1941.

A. T. COOPER 2,266,739

WELL FISHING TOOLA Filed Jan. l5, 1940 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 WELLnsmNc. `Toor.

Alexander T. Cooper, Long Beach, Calif., assigner to Acme PatentDevelopment Corporation,

Long Beach, Calif., a corporation oi* California Application January 13,1940, Serial No. 313,749

' '1 claims. (o1. 294-36) This invention relates to oil well equipmentand more particularly to a shing tool for removing lost objects from awell.

In drilling a well with the rotary system parts of drilling bits oftenbecome detached therefrom,

. such as cones, pieces of the bit itself, nuts, washers and otherobjects. If such objects are not removed from the well they materiallyimpede further drilling operations.

Apparatus has heretofore been devised for the above stated purpose, andwhile such apparatus serves their intended purpose their capacity issomewhat limited, it often being necessary to make more than a singletrip down the well to recover al1 of the lost junk.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus ofthe character described in which the article recovery mechanism may bequickly operated to engage lost objects from a well and then reset foranother operation after removing the same.

Another object is to provide a fishing tool so constructed that the shengaging or article recovery mechanism will occupy little space when setfor a sh removing operation thereby enabling the same to not only engagelarger objects than heretofore possible, but have greater capacity.

A further object is to provide a ilshing tool of the character describedconstructed in such a manner than a basketlike structure is formed whenthe tool is operated thereby collecting both small and large objects andretaining the same while the tool is being removed from the well.

A still further object is to provide a well llshing tool that is ofsimple and economical construction which may be readilyr operated torecover lost articles in a well.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdisclosure, reference being had ,to the accompanying drawing in whichFig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the improved fishing tool ina well hole showing the parts as they appear prior to a tlsh engagingoperation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 1 showing them as theyappear after the catcher has been operated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view in section of the catcher.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, but showingthe catcher as it appears after being operated.

' Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring more specifically to the drawing IIJ generally designates theimproved shing tool disposed in a well H, in the present instance it isshown connected through a tool joint T to a string of drill pipe D.

It will be understood that the tool may be connected to a steel cable orsand line and operated by a set of jars connected thereto in a mannerhereinafter described.

Removably secured to the lower end of tubular casing I2 preferably byscrew threads I3 is the article recovery mechanism or catcher I4 whichis operated through engagement with the head I5 of a plunger I6 squareshaped in cross section slidably mounted in a correspondingly shapedopening formed in a plug Il connected to the upper end of the tubularcasing I2. y I Plug I'I is provided with a plurality of flui circulatingopenings I8 while the bar I6 has a uid passage I9 therethrough for thecirculating mud and is provided with a pin 20 for connection with thebox 2| of the tool joint T.

'I'he article recovery mechanism I4 consists of a base member 22 havingan internal concave face 23 and an upper member 24 having a convex face25 mounted thereon which when assembled form an annular arcuate channelor guide Way indicated at 26 which serves to bend or turn inwardly aplurality of prongs or flat fingers 21 when the mechanism is operated.The upper member 24 has a lateral ange 28 in which is formed a pluralityof slots 30 into which project the pointed ends 3| of the prongs 21 whenthe mechanism is assembled for a fishing operation as shown in Figs. 1and 3, the upper member being secured by screws 32 to the base.

Prongs 2l are preferably formed' of a pliable material such as sheetsteel employed in die stamping operations, and are secured at theirupper ends to a ring 34 preferably by welding as indicated at 35, itbeing noted that the prongs are curved in cross section on a radiuscorresponding to the slots 30 in order to add strength to the same afterthey have been bent into a fish engaging position as shown in Fig. 2.

Formed on the lower end-of the base member 22 is a row of teeth 22awhich serve to penetrate the formation and loosen any earthy materialthat may have settled around the fish on the bottom of the hole, thetool being rotated and circulating fluid pumped therethrough at thistime. The head I5 of the plunger is held out of engagement with themechanism I4 after assembling until it is desired to operate the same bya sheer pin 36 that is mounted in the. wall of tube l2 the projectingend being disposed in a recess 3l formed in the side wall oi' the head.

In use the improved fishing tool is connected to the drill pipe T andlowered into the well until it rests on the bottom, if the ilsh"cr otherlost objects have become embedded below accumulated earthy cuttings, thedrill pipe then connected with a hydraulic swivel and pipe rotated untilthe earthy material has become loosened suiiiciently to permit theprongs o! the apparatus to be disposed beneath the ilsh.

The draw works brake (not shown) is then released whereupon the deadweight of the drill pipe on its downward movement causes the head l1 onbar I6 of the plunger to engage the ring 2l and force it downwardly,such action bending the prongs 21 and closing them around the Ilsh, dueto the curvature of the channel or guideway 26.

Thus it wil be seen that when ring 3l is pressed downwardly as abovedescribed a substantially basket-like structure is formed (see Fig. 4)at which time the prongs 21 pass underneath the ilsh as shown in Fig. 2,the prongs being shown (in Fig. 4) as they appear after being forceddownwardly and inwardly when the tool is out of the well, it beingparticularly noted that due to the construction the area of the openingin the mechanism I4 is practically closed after the above describedoperation thereby engaging both large and small objects. Also thestructure is strengthened due to inner end of the prongs being inoverlapping relation.

When removing sh that have not 'been in the well hole for any greatlength of time or have not become covered with sand or other earthymaterial the fishing tool is adapted to be connected to a steel cable orsand line with a set of jars (not shown) connected to the pin 2|. Afterthe tool has reached the bottom of the hole the jars are actuated anumber of times, the action of which closes the prongs around the sh asabove described.

After completing a shing operation the tool IU is removed from the Well,the catcher Il is discharged of the recovered ilsh after which the toolis reset for another operation. This is accomplished by placing thecatcher i4 over or inserting a bar into it of such diameter that it willpass through ring 34 and engage the face of ilange 28, then holding thering stationary and pushing on the bar or vice versa the action of whichseparates the ring from the base members 22 and at the same timestraightens the prongs 21. 'I'he prongs may then be inserted in theascenso nected to said mst-mentioned, member. and a plunger movabledownwardly within said tubular member to engage said mormting member andforce said prongs down through said channel, whereby they will be bentto e radially across said central opening to form article holdingstructure.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base member having acentral opening and a downwardly converging concave surface,anuppermemberhavingaiiangesecuredtosaid base member and a downwardlyconverging convex surface spaced inwardly from said concave surface toform a downwardly and inwardly curving channel, an annular member havinga plurality o! bendable prongs detachably secured thereto. the free endsoi said prongs projecting downwardly into said channel, a tubular memberconnected to and extending upwardly from said base member, -a plugsecured to the upper. end of said tubular member, a plunger slidablymounted in said plug and movable downwardly in said tubular member intoengagement with said annular member to force said prongs through saidchannel, whereby they will be bent to extend'radially across saidcentral opening to form an article holding structure, said annularmember engaging said upper member to limit the radial projection of saidprongs across said opening.

3. An apparatus of the class described comprising a member having aplurality of vertical circularly spaced bendable prongs, a base memberhaving a downwardly converging circumferentially continuous channelformed therein into which the free ends of said prongs project, atubular casing detachably connected to said base member, a plugdetachably secured to the upper end oi.' said tubular member, a plungerslidably mounted in said plug, a plunger head secured to said plungerand movable downwardly within said tubular member into engagement withsaid prong member to'force the prongs bend them toward each other toform an article engaging structure.

slots 30 and the catcher I4 screwed into the tube n l2. It will be notedthat due to the prongs being formed of pliable metal they may be bentand straigthened many times without injury.

It will b'e understood that after an operation instead of straighteningthe prongs as above described the pronged members may be readilyreplaced by another unused member, thus conserving the time betweensucceeding operations.

Iclaim:

` 1. A fishing tool for wells comprising a member having a centralopening and a downwardly converging surface, a second member having adownwardly converging surface opposed to said rstmentioned surface andspaced therefrom to form a circumferentially continuous annular channel,a plurality of circularly spaced bendable prongs having their free endsextending downwardly into said channel, a mounting member to which saidprongs are secured, a tubular member con- 4. A shing tool for wellscomprising a cylindrical base member having a central opening in itslower end and a downwardly converging inner surface with an annular rowof cutting teeth therebelow, a companion member having a downwardlyconvering surface opposed to said base member and spaced therefrom toform a circumferentially continuous channel therebetween detachablysecured to said base member, a plurality of bendable spaced prongshaving their free ends engaging the channel formed between the base andvsaid companion member, an annular mounting member to which said prongsare secured, a tubular member connected to said base member, a plugconnected to the upper end of said tubular member, and a plunger splinedto said plug to rotate the tubular member and force the prongsdownwardly through the channel whereby to bend and force them to extendacross the central opening of the circular member to form an article-holding structure.

5. An oil well shing tool comprising a tubular casing, a circular memberhaving a central opening and a downwardly converging surface detachablysecured to the lower end of said casing, a second circular memberdetachably secured to said first mentioned member having a downwardlyconverging surface and spaced therefrom to form a circumferentiallycontinuous annular channel, an annular independently removable vguidingly deform the same inwardly into over-l prong mounting memberhavingva plurality of bendable prongs secured thereto, their free endsengaging the circumferential annular channel formed by the circularmembers, and a plunger movable downwardly within said tubular` casing toengage the prong mounting member to force the prongs secured theretodownwardly and outwardly through said annular channel whereby to bendthe prongs to extend across the central opening of the circular membersto form an article holding structure.

6. In a fishing tool, the combination of: a cylindrical casing open atthe lower end and provided with an interior annular concave surfaceadjacent the lower end; a ring held within the casing adjacent the lowerend thereof, said ring being provided with an exterior convex surface inspaced relation lto the aforesaid concave surface to form a channeltherebetween; a collar within the casing and movable longitudinally ofthe casing, said collar being provided with a plurality of downwardlyextending deformable prongs; ports in said ring adapted to guide saidprongs into said channel; and means movable within the casing andadapted to strike the collar to force said prongs through said channeland lapping relation, said ring being adapted to cooperate with saidcollar to stop downward movement of the collar.

7. In a fishing tool, the combination of: a cylindrical casing open atthe lower end and provided with an interior annular concave surfaceadjacent the lower end; a, ring held within the casing adjacent thelower end thereof. said ring being provided with an exterior convexsurface in spaced relation to the aforesaid concave surface to form achannel therebetween; a collar within the casing and movablelongitudinally of the casing, said collar being provided with aplurality of downwardly extending deformable prongs having substantiallyparallel side edges; ports in said ring adapted to guide said prongsinto said channel; a plug carried by the upper end of the cylindricalcasing, a stem of polygonal section extending slidably through saidplug, a

, head carried by said stem within said casing,

